Marc-Edouard Vlasic, Martin Jones each sign extension with Sharks

Defenseman Marc-Edouard Vlasic and goalie Martin Jones each signed a contract extension with the San Jose Sharks on Saturday.

Vlasic's extension is for eight years and runs through the 2025-26 season. Jones' is for six years and runs through 2023-24. Financial terms of the extensions were not disclosed, but TSN reported Vlasic's is for $56 million, an average annual value of $7 million. Jones' is for $34.5 million, an AAV of $5.75 million.

Vlasic and Jones each could have become an unrestricted free agent after next season. Saturday was the first day either was eligible to sign an extension.
"I've always wanted long term. Every contract I've signed has been long term," Vlasic said. "Yeah, I wanted long term because I want to be in San Jose for a long time."
Vlasic, 30, had 28 points (six goals, 22 assists) and was plus-4 in 75 games this season. He has 254 points (53 goals, 201 assists) in 812 games during the past 11 seasons, all with San Jose. Vlasic helped the Sharks reach their first Stanley Cup Final in 2015-16, finishing with 12 points (one goal, 11 assists) and a plus-14 rating in 24 playoff games. San Jose lost to the Pittsburgh Penguins in six games.
He will play the final season of a five-year contract at an NHL salary cap charge of $4.25 million.
"[He's] one of the most respected players in this league, certainly one of the best defensemen," Sharks general manager Doug Wilson said. "Not only the best stopper, but we expect even more offense from him going forward. We think he's coming into the prime of his career. He's a great athlete. I'm not sure there's many other people in the game that think it like he does. He's very important to us."

The Sharks acquired Jones, 27, from the Boston Bruins on June 30, 2015. In his first season with San Jose, Jones helped the Sharks reach the Cup Final, going 14-10 with a 2.16 goals-against average and .923 save percentage. He is 72-46-10 with a 2.33 GAA and .915 save percentage in 130 games the past two seasons with San Jose.
"It's nice to get it done and out of the way," Jones said. "All I have to worry about is focusing on playing hockey right now. It's important. I didn't have a lot of doubts that it wasn't going to get done anyway. But it's nice to get it out of the way and just focus on hockey, for sure. ...
"The Sharks traded for me and I had 50, 55 games, whatever it was, under my belt. They put faith in me, and ever since I've been in San Jose it's been a really good experience for me. I just felt really welcome and at home [and am] excited at the prospect of just playing at least seven more years here."
He will play the final season of a three-year contract at an NHL salary cap charge of $3 million.

Vlasic said he was congratulated by Joe Thornton for signing the contract. Vlasic said he did not know if Thornton or Patrick Marleau would re-sign with San Jose.
"It takes a lot of great players," Vlasic said. "[Defenseman Brent] Burns re-signed last year, and I was pretty confident Martin Jones would re-sign as well. So that's a good starting point. We're competitive every year. We've been competitive every year since I've been on this team, and I don't see us dropping off in the near future. I see us being very competitive many years down the road. ...
"We'd love to have Marleau and Thornton on our team, but if they're not on the team, we will find guys that will replace them. There's a lot of good players out there that are looking for individual contracts, and I get that. I signed there because we have the players and the team to go all the way, and it starts with a foundation of players, with a good goalie, a good back end."